Good Sleep Habits and Your Recovery

Good Sleep Habits and Your Recovery

Do you find when you start getting a cold or coming down with a bug or the flu that you’re tired? Your body is signalling you that it needs rest. When you’ve been addicted to a substance like alcohol or drugs, your body needs rest and sound sleep to help you heal from the effects of the chemicals and alcohol.

According to a study in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, insomnia can be five times higher for people in recovery than those without addiction issues. Addiction can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythms, making it difficult to fall or stay asleep. Before you got clean and sober, your body used the alcohol and drugs in its system to help you fall asleep. Once you became clean and sober, your body needed to re-calibrate its sleep patterns without an outside influence.

Drinking caffeine late in the day or smoking cigarettes can inhibit your sleep. If you’re anxious, stressed out or depressed, your sleep can also be affected. You may lie awake worrying about how you are going to handle various problems and challenges that stem from your addiction.

You can improve your sleep in recovery by going to bed at the same time every night, and waking up at the same time every morning. It is important not to use or read information on your mobile device or your computer in bed or in your bedroom. Neither should you read a book in bed. Your bedroom needs to be a sleep sanctuary. Even if you follow these simple techniques, there can be nights when you are restless and just can’t fall asleep. When this occurs, the sleep experts suggest getting out of bed and doing something to relax, like meditation, or breathing slowly in and out for a few minutes.

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential. With each new challenge you face in recovery, you’ll need a clear mind to negotiate and assimilate all that you are learning. Sleep can help lower your stress level and provide you with the means for a positive attitude and lasting recovery. Sleep well!

“True silence is the rest of the mind, and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.”— William Penn

It takes a lot of courage to get clean and sober. Recovery outcomes improve when patients are comfortable and set apart from everyday distractions. Infinity Malibu Residential Drug & Alcohol Treatment programs are designed to help clients tackle their addiction head on. Don’t hesitate to call us today to find out all that we offer you 888-266-9048.